Notch signalling in placental development and gestational diseases

Area of Science:

• Developmental Biology
• Cell Signaling
• Reproductive Biology

Background:

• Notch signaling regulates fundamental cellular processes including stem cell maintenance, lineage determination, proliferation, and survival.
• Accumulating evidence highlights the critical role of Notch signaling in placental development and differentiation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To summarize current knowledge on Notch signaling in murine and human placentation.
• To discuss the potential role of Notch signaling in the pathophysiology of gestational disorders.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing studies on Notch signaling in placental development.
• Analysis of expression patterns and functional data of Notch receptors in trophoblast subtypes.
• Examination of Notch signaling alterations in gestational disorders and choriocarcinoma.

Main Results:

• Notch signaling controls key placental events, including trophectoderm formation, decidualization, branching morphogenesis, and endovascular invasion in mice.
• In humans, Notch signaling promotes extravillous trophoblast formation and regulates trophoblast proliferation, survival, and differentiation.
• Distinct roles for Notch receptors in different trophoblast subtypes are indicated by expression and functional analyses.
• Altered Notch signaling is observed in choriocarcinoma, preeclampsia, and fetal growth restriction, suggesting a role in cancer and pregnancy disorders.

Conclusions:

• Notch signaling plays fundamental roles in diverse placental developmental processes.
• Aberrant Notch signaling may contribute to the pathogenesis of gestational diseases characterized by abnormal placentation and trophoblast function.